Mabel Santley, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

"Mabel Santley," from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1890, features a portrait of the actress Mabel Santley. The sepia-toned photograph captures Santley in a relaxed pose, seated in a plush armchair. It is one of a series of collectible cards produced to promote Sweet Caporal cigarettes, showcasing prominent figures of the time. The image's simple composition and straightforward portrayal of Santley exemplify the aesthetic of the late 19th-century, a period marked by emerging forms of mass media and the rise of celebrity culture. This card is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.